The present disclosure relates to a patient support system, comprising a patient support apparatus, and associated system for monitoring and controlling the sleep of patients. Such person support apparatuses include mattresses, cushions, beds, stretchers, chairs, wheelchairs, tables, and other similar devices. Person support apparatuses of this type may be found, for example, in healthcare facilities, homes, and other locations in which care is provided. The present disclosure is particularly relevant to use in healthcare facilities.
Currently, patient support apparatuses having monitoring systems that detect relatively large-scale movements, or the lack thereof, of a person relative to a person support apparatus. These systems may be used to detect whether the person is about to exit the bed, or the like. Further, some existing systems monitor the physiological activity of a person (e.g. heart rate, breathing rate) while the person is positioned on a person support apparatus. Other systems such as patient wearable systems are known. These systems are able to detect very slight movements (such as a heartbeat or the rise and fall of a person's chest). These systems are often used to detect the onset of adverse events related to a person's health. Still further systems exist that use the outputs of such monitoring systems to determine the sleep quality of the person, and enable subsequent adjustments to the sleep process or person support apparatus settings.
It is well-known that sleep is required to aid physical repair of the body, and that particular stages of sleep are more effective in enabling such repair. It is believed that few, if any, patient support systems exist that are directed to monitoring and improving the sleep and wake-up experience of patients, in particular while those patients are in a healthcare facility.
It would therefore be of benefit to provide a system which improves the sleep and wake-up experience of patients situated on a person support apparatus. It would also be of benefit to provide a system which enables remote control of the patient support apparatus.